Tip for furniture legs



Dec. 20, 1932. A. G. HENRIKSON 1,891,643

TIP FOR FURNITURE LEGS Filed May 14. 1932 6 INVENTOR. n fi/jl/l' gi/1217104 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES ARTHUR G. HENRIKSON, OF PROVIDENCE,RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO '7 FRANK B. PER-RY, OF PROVIDENCE,RHODE ISLAND v TIP For. FURNITURE LEGS I Application filed May 14,

This invention relates to a tip for furniture legs and has for itsobject to provide a construction which may be used to present either ahard surface to slide along a carpet or the like, or a cushioningsurface to prevent scratching of a hardwoodfloor or the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a constructionformed of metallic or non-metallic members which may be held inassembled relation by the shaping of the members.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a construction inwhich the head of a securing member may cooperate with an outer metallicsurface for sliding action to complete the contour of the surface andcause an easier sliding action with less resistance than where anannular surface with a recess or opening is presented to the supportupon which the furniture rests. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of ashellconstruction which may have difierent resilient or cushioning membersmounted therein for different purposes for which it maybedesired to beused.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a fragmental portion of a furniture legwith the tip mounted in one position to present the metallic Fig. 4 is aperspective view showing the opposite side thereof.

Fig. 5 .is a. perspective view of the cushioning member.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cup or cap for receiving thecushioning member.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the fragmental portion of a furniture legwith the tip having its metal or hard surface outermost,

1932. Serial No. 611,327.

and a securing member for holding the same in position. v

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing a somewhat modifiedconstruction of tip and with a securing member, the head ,of whichconforms to the outer surface configuration of the cap portion of thetip. r

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 with the tip in reverse position. I

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a. fragmental portion of a furniture leg,the modified form of tip showing shouldered abutments for receiving theenlarged head ofthe securing member.

Fig. 11 is a perspectiveviewof the modified form of cushioning member. I

Fig. 12 is a perspective viewof the cushioningmember shown in Fig. 11 asmounted in a cap.

Fig. 13 is a modification showing a perma nent attachment to thefurniture leg and a removable and reversab'le insert therein.

In the use of tips forfurniture, it is 'desirable where the furniture isto restupona rug or the like, to provide a hard metal surface which willeasily slide over the rug without undue wear thereof. hen furniture isto rest upon a hardwood floor, it is desirable to provide a soft orcushioning surfaceso that s the same will not scratch the floor. I have,

therefore, provided a tip, one construction of which may serve to supplyeither of these wants by selecting the manner in whichthe same will besecured to the furniture leg, or if desired, I may remove the tip whenfunctioning in one manner and by turning it over, use it to function inthe other manner. In cases where the tip is to present a hard metalsurface for sliding, in some instances, I have provided the securingmeans with a head so shaped as to conform to the contour of the tip thuspresenting a continuous surface for sliding action along the carpet orthe like, which sliding action will be smoother than where a head havinga recess therein is used;

and the following is a detailed description of the present embodiment ofthe invention illustrating the preferred means by which theseadvantageous results maybe accomplished z+ ,With reference to thedrawing, 15 desig-v nates a fragmental portion of the furniture leg towhich a tip is to be secured. A cushioning member 16 as illustrated inFig. 5, is formed of leather, rubber, fiber, celluloid or any othersuitable desired material, preferably softer than the surface uponwhich'it is to rest. The member 16 is shown as cylindrical in form witha circular bore 17 presenting an annular bearing surface 18. Thecupshap'ed cap member 19 is also generally circular in form with acountersunk portion 20 centrally thereof presenting an annular bearingsurface 21. This countersunk portion 20 comprises a tubular formationhaving a wall 22v any pressure is placed upon the tip the cushioningportion tends to laterally expand and bind against the walls to be heldin place. If however, a greater binding actionis desired, the wall 25may be crimped, as at 26, as shown in Fig. 12 or rolled inwardly asshown in Fig. 13 to further assist in holding the same in position. Thebottom wall or web 23 of the countersunk portion 20 provides an abutmentportion which may be engaged by the head 2? of the securing member 28which may be passed through the aperture 24 and be forced into thefurniture leg 15 to hold the tip in position. This tip may ing member 28will engage the opposite surface of the web 23 in the manner similar tothat shown in Fig. 7.

In the form shown in Fig. 7, the tip having the central recess formed bythe countersunk portion 20 permits of the nap or fibers of the rug onwhich the same mayrest, to extend into this recess and engage the edge29 thereof. I have, therefore, rounded this edge 29 so that thefurniture leg may be slid over the surface more easily.

In order, however, to lessen the frictional resistance to this slidingaction, I may modify the shell or cap of the device to present the webportion 30, as shown in Fig. 8, and provide a larger head 31 on thesecuring member 32 so that the outer surface 33 of the head will conformto the contour or configuration of the outer surface 34 of the capportion and afford an easier sliding action than could be had intheconstruction shown in Fig. 7. In Fig. 9 I have shown this same bepositioned either as shown in Fig. 7 or reversed to present the bearingsurface 18 of the cushioning member out wardly, whereby the head 27 ofthe securhead 31 of the securing member 32 as posi tioned to present thecushioning member 16 with its bearing surface 18 outwardly, the headbeing received in the bore 17 to engage the opposite surface of the web30 of the metallic cap portion ofthe device.

In some instances I may provide anabutment 35 by forming a shoulder inthe countersunk portion 36, as shown in Fig. 10 and.

in which case the head 31 of the securing member 32 will rest againstthe abutment shoulder 35 and in this position will conform to the outersurface 37 of the cap. In this case the offset forming ft-SllOlllClQl isoffset substantially the thickness of the stock so that it will not benecessary to use a different securing member for reversing the tip asthe head will be received in the bore 17 of the cushioning member 16.

In Fig. 13 I have shown a separate securingmember 42 in generally cupform having 'a plurality of resilient fingers 43 and a bottom wall 44with a pressed-out portion 45' having a screw head to permanentlyfastenit in position on a-furniture leg, and in this securing member 42 I haveprovided a removable cap 46 with a cushioning portion 47 which may bepositioned to either present its hard bearing surface 48 with nodepressions therein, as shown in Fig. 13, or may be reversed to presentits cushioning bear ing surface 49 to its support, it being held inposition by its rounded convened surface 50 snapping into engagementwith the concaved portion 51 of the wall 43. 7

In some instances'it is desirable to provide a cushioning'member of aspiral coil of fabq ric or a winding of some strand material such asstring or the like, which I have illus trated at 39, in Fig. 11, thesame being formed" with a universal wind and in such position that thefibers will present a large number of ends to the supporting surface forresisting wear thereon. I have shown in Fig. l2, tl1is member aspositioned in the cup 19' which has its wall 25 crimped as at 26 to moresnugly bind the same in position. In the structure which I haveSl1OWI1,.I have provided a core 40 upon which the winding is mounted andwhich serves as an annular 1 bore or recess when assembled. in the tipto receive the head of the securing device permitting it to bepositioned inwardly from the bearing surface 41 'of' the cushioningmember that it may be entirely protected fro-m engagement with thesupporting surface which it might abrade. The foregoing description isdirected. solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire itto be understood that I reserve tl e privilege of resorting to all themechanical changes to which the device is'-susc.epti-. ble, theinvention being defined and limited only by the terms ofthe appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A tip for furniture legs, comprising a body having a metallic surfaceon one side and a soft surface on the other side, and means 5 includingan additional member for securing said body to a furniture leg topresent either the metal or soft surface outwardly.

2. A tip for furniture legs, comprising a body having a metallic surfaceon one side and a soft surface on the other side, and means including anadditional member for securing said body to a furniture leg to presenteither the metal or soft surface outwardly, said means being so arrangedas to prevent said additional member from contacting with the support onwhich the furniture leg rests.

A tip for furniture legs, comprising a body having a metallic surface onone side and a soft surface on the other side, and means including anadditional member for securing said body to a furniture leg to presenteither the metal or soft surface outwardly, said means being so arrangedas to prevent said additional member from contacting with the support onwhich the furniture leg rests, when the said soft surface is presentedoutwardly.

a. A tip for furniture legs, comprising a body formed of a metallicmember, a nonmetallic member secured thereto, a member for securing saidbody to a furniture leg, and means cooperating with the securing memberto secure said body to the furniture leg so that either said metallic ornon-metallic member may be positioned outwardly from the furniture leg.

5. A tip for furniture legs, comprising a body formed of a metallicmember, a nonmetallic member secured thereto, a member provided with ahead for securing said body to a furniture leg, and means cooperatingwith the securing member to secure said body to the furniture leg sothat either said metallic or non-metallic member may be positionedoutwardly from the furniture leg, said means including recesses inopposite surfaces for receiving the head of said securing member.

6. A tip for furniture legs, comprising a body formed of a metallicmember, a nonmetallic member secured thereto, said metallic memLerhaving recesses extending inwardly from opposite surfaces with a webportion separating said recesses, and a member provided with a head of asize to be received in either recess and to engage said web to securesaid body to a furniture leg with either sur- 7 face thereof presentedoutwardly.

7. A tip for furniture legs, comprising a cushioning member with abearing surface formed of resilient material and having an axial bore, ametallic cup-shaped cap having a bearing portion adapted to contact withand slide on the floor, a portion surrounding and confining a portionofsaid cushioning member, and a countersunk tubular central:

portion extendinginto said bore a portion'of the length thereof andproviding an'abutment surface, a securing member provided with a headengageablewith said abutment surface and of a size to be received insaid axial bore or in said counter portion to selectively position saidtip on the furniture leg with either the cushioning or sliding'bearingsurface outwardly. v Y Y 8. A tip for furniture legs, comprisingacushioning member with a bearing surface formed of resilient materialandhaving an" axial bore, a metallic cup-shaped cap having a bearingportion adapted to contact with and slide on the floor and having aportion surrounding and confining a portion of said cushioning member,and a countersunk tubular central portion extending into said bore aportion of the length thereof with its bottom forming a web across thebore, said web being provided with an aperture and a securmg member toextend thru said aperture provided with a head of a size to be receivedeither in said axial bore or in said countersunk portion to selectivelyposition the tip on the furniture leg with either the cushioning orsliding bearing surface outwardly.

9. A tip for furniture legs, comprising a cylindrical cushioning memberwith a bearing surface formed of resilient material and having an axialbore, a metallic cup-shaped cap having an annular bearing portionadapted to contact with and slide on the floor and. having a cylindricalportion surrounding and confining a portion of said cushioning memberand a countersunk tubular central portion extending into said bore aportion of the 7 length thereof with its bottom forming a web across thebore, said web being provided with an aperture and a securing member toextend thru said aperture provided with a head of a size to be receivedeither in said axial bore against one side of said web or in saidcountersunk portion against the otherside of the web to selectivelyposition the-tip on the furniture leg with either the cushioning orsliding bearing surface outwardly.

10. A tip for furniture comprising a body member having an annularbearing surface with a countersunk central portion and a securing memberprovided with a head to be received in said countersunk portion, thesur-,

face of said head conforming to the shape and contour of said bearingsurface. 11. A tip for furniture comprising a body member having. anannular convex bearing surface with a countersunk central portion, anda'securing member provided with a head to be received in saidcountersunk portion, the surface of said head also convexed andconforming to the bearing surface.

12. A tip for furniture comprising a securing member to be attachedtotthe furniture leg, an insert member having a metallic shape andcontour of said surface and a non-metallic surface, and cooperatingmeans between said member to re-v movably secure said insert member tosaid securing member with either the metallic or 5 non-metallic surfaceoutwardly.

13. A tip for furniture comprising a securing member to be attached tothe furniture leg, an insert member comprising a me tallic cup and acushioning material therein, and cooperating means between said securingmember and said metallic cup to secure said insert member in positionwith either the metallic or non-metallic surface outwardly.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARTHUR G. HENRIKSON.

